1940
Here we go again! The summer lethargy is hard to shake off, even with this deadline upon me.
Taking events in order since the last report (and trusting, without rereading them, that Dick Bowman hasn't stolen all my thunder with his top-notch Indian Drum issues), we start off way back in May. Alumni Fund boss Fred Porter and wife Ann played hosts to a number of neighboring '40 stalwarts who were able to find East Foxboro, Mass., with map and compass. The outing, Forty's Little Green Key celebration away from Hanover, took place amid sun, beer and black flies. The pickup softball game was good for many laughs that day (groans and sore muscles the next). The conversation never got far away from Dartmouth, the Fund drive, kids and horseplay. It was a great way to drum up the '40 fevers, and everybody attending thought we ought to have more of the same. Among those who sloshed through numerous cases of beer and who collectively did their bit to crumple the underpinnings of Fred's back porch were: Ted and Tweedy Miller, Jackand Coral O'Brien, Bill and Patty Squire,Gordie and Rosy Wentworth, George and NitaCutter, Mickey and Jo Miller, Paul Dyer and date, Stets Whitcher, Fred and Ann Porter, and Joyce and myself.
Following on the heels of that engagement, a number of us met a couple of weeks later in Hanover for the annual class officers' powwow. Scotty Rogers, who can't seem to disentangle himself from some assignment on behalf of the College no matter how he tries, was there representing the Cleveland alumni club. Sam Snow represented the Worcester club, and Gordie Wentworth the Boston club. Don Rainie and your correspondent were there for the class. Rosy Wentworth provided the lone female representation for '40, adding a very welcome touch to our gathering. The weekend was marked by both seriousness and frivolity. Lew and Dody Lambert—he's recently joined the stafE of Mary Hitchcock Hospital—assisted on the fun side of the agenda with their warm hospitality. Lew also performed professionally in the wee hours of Sunday morning when Gordie Wentworth became overcome with exhuberance and attempted to leapfrog a parking meter at the Junction, ending with a gashed ring finger. Highlight of the business side of the weekend for '40 was Scotty Rogers' election to the Alumni Council, representing the club secretaries. Wife Loomie is certain now that she's destined to be a Dartmouth "widow" many more years.
Joyce and I had the pleasure of spending a second weekend in Hanover in June, doing a little undercover work for the College on possibilities of improving reunions. As far as we were concerned, '41 had a great time, and we with them as interlopers. Bud Hewitt was encountered reclining on the Inn veranda, having just completed a few days of sparring with the erudite at Hanover Holiday.
Top news of the season concerned Forty's leadership of its Green Derby during the recently completed Alumni Fund drive. Fred Porter's fine leadership, Dick Bowman's publicity and your collective loyalty to the College, as demonstrated by your gifts, provided the ingredients of success. Coming out on top for the second year in a row is a record of which we can be justly proud. An accolade should go also to those of you who labored long and effectively as assistant agents, and to Bowman's comic postcards which many of you last minute givers received over Fred Porter's signature.
Leafing through the clippings and letters accumulated during the relaxed summer season, it seems that a number of erstwhile diehard bachelors are deserting the thinning ranks to take up a more inviting status. Martin Rubin, King's Point, N. Y., and Helene Blumenstein, of Armonk, N. Y., were married about June 17 at New York City, after which they tripped to Hawaii for a fling before settling down. Allan Rosenthal and Sylvia Ruth Zura, both of Brookline, Mass., have announced their intent. Bob Breech and Mara Louise Wood, of Manchester, Conn., are planning their wedding for early fall, as are Dick Everett and Alyce Louise McGlone, of Dunmore, Pa.
Our Cleveland correspondent reports that the June wedding of Dave Davenport and Carol Babcock, at Buffalo, was a gala affair. Four '40's ushered: Johnnie Knutsen, KarlBruch, Eb Cockley and Scotty Rogers. The Bob MacMillens and Bob Williams and BillDuncan also helped give Dave and Carol a happy sendoff on their honeymoon, from which they returned to their new home at Novelty, O.
Other news from Cleveland indicates that D. J. McMahon was in town recently for some public relations work, happy to be back in Denver with his large family. Dee Jones also visited town on a few blitz trips in connection with his advertising work, checking up on the success of some of his latest promotional schemes.
The news clippings tell us that RowlandL. Hall has been appointed purchasing manager of the American Box Board Company, for which he has been working part and full time since 1932, with six years out for the Marines. Roily makes Grand Rapids, Mich., his operations center, where Catherine and their two boys occupy his leisure moments.
Sharing the affairs of active politics with other '40 wheel horses, we note that FredPillsbury is being nominated to run on the Republican ticket for councilman in the coming primaries in Springfield, Mass. Fred split his law studies at Harvard to spend three years in the Coast Guard. He has been practising in Springfield since 1947, where wife Janet and their seven-months-old son are also situated. While Springfield gains one, Keene, N. H., loses a '40 adherent as KenArwe resigns after two years of service as city solicitor in protest against his city's tax policies.
From Brattleboro, Vt., comes word that Dr.Howie Oliver has expanded his duties as pathologist at the Elliot Community Hospital, Keene, to serve in a similar capacity at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. He also is consulting pathologist for the Monadnock Community Hospital, Peterborough, N. H.
Your secretary's own travels this summer brought him into contact with Dr. Stuart Anderson and family, at Lovell, Me., where they were taking an extended vacation from Stu's labors at the V. A. Hospital, Togus, Me. Stu, eldest son Stephan, and I did a bit of bass fishing which both augmented wife Elaine's larder and provided us with plenty of sport. Stu knows the country well, having a home there, so our fishing foray was conducted with the aid of his expert knowledge of the terrain —to good advantage.
Last Saturday evening was spent sipping Ben Bacon's excellent mint juleps in nearby Ansonia and listening to him and Dick Bowman talk expansively about their new boys. Ben and Jean Bacon claim the honors for their eight-months-old Jonathan, while, as most of you must know from reading the Indian Drum, Dick and Lee Bowman are quite partial to their Bruce, now 14 weeks in these parts. Both sets of parents looked fit and frolicsome as usual.
Next month we'll dip further into a few of the letters from those of you who wrote in too late to catch the final issues of Bowman's clip sheet. Also, if any others of you feel the urge, do drop a quickie to your scribe giving the current scoop on your activities and location.
The Browne clan will be at the above address until mid-October, after which well be located in Westfield, N. J., at 322 Canterbury Rd. I depart the corset business next week, for good, to devote my next few years to the benefit (I trust) of Merck & Co., manufacturing chemists at Rahway, N. J. The next column will be written on a week-end commuter's time, so don't spare the news if you have something to contribute. Hope you all had a grand summer.
Secretary, 55 Goodrich St., Hamden, Conn, Treasurer, 88 N. Main St., Concord, N. H.
